LASIK Surgery

Dr. Switch has been doing refractive surgery for over 20 years. His experience includes over 15,000 laser procedures, including PRK, iLASIK, and currently iLASIK™. Dr. Switch holds advanced training in the diagnosis and correction of Astigmatism. Utilizing the available free screening format, patients are able to see if they are a surgical candidate without any financial obligation.

Basic Lasik Overview

What is LASIK (Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis)? Laser (focused light) In-Situ (in place) Keratomileusis (cornea shaping) basically means a “focused light to shape the cornea in place”. LASIK is a relatively quick and painless procedure. The vast majority of patients experience greatly improved vision and the ability to see without glasses or contact lenses.

How does LASIK work? LASIK uses the light from an excimer laser (A cold laser called the VISX Star S4 eximer laser), which when applied to the cornea, permanently reshapes the cornea. The majority of the Cornea (90%) is called the Stroma, this is the portion that the laser reshapes. A thin layer of cells, known as the Epithelium, and an even smaller layer called Bowman’s membrane cover the Stroma. A small flap is created using the unparalleled precision of the iLASIK™. This flap is lifted and the VISX Star S4 excimer laser is applied to the underlying Stroma. The reshaping that occurs changes the refractive power of the cornea to correct the patient’s refractive error. The flap is then replaced over the Stroma and adheres without the need of sutures. With the refractive error permanently corrected in the cornea, the patient no longer requires glasses or contacts to focus the light entering the eye. The procedure itself starts when the patient arrives at the Lasik center the afternoon of the procedure. A small dose of oral sedation is offered to help reduce any anxiety that may be associated with the medical procedure. The patient is then evaluated one final time by Dr. Switch and is then brought into the laser suite. The patient will then lie on a small bed while the nurse uses several numbing eye drops to anesthetize and prepare the eye for surgery. At this point, Dr. Switch will perform the procedure, typically lasting one to two minutes per eye. After the procedure is complete, the patient is brought to the post op room and Dr. Switch will reevaluate the patient. The patient is then free to go home and wearing a clear patch over each eye. The next day, Dr. Switch will evaluate the patient one more time. Most patients see a significant improvement in vision as early as the first few hours after surgery.

Switch Eye Center Offer the following LASIK options:

The iLASIK procedure exclusively uses an advanced technology called the IntraLase™ Method. The IntraLase Method is a 100% blade-free approach to creating your corneal flap, the thin flap of tissuethat the doctor folds back in order to perform your iLASIK procedure. The IntraLase Method also delivers outstanding visual results – more patients achieve vision that is 20/20 or better when the IntraLase Method is used. In a clinical survey of LASIK patients who had their corneal flaps created using a blade in one eye and the IntraLase Method in the other, the vision in the IntraLase-treated eye was preferred 3-to-1 (among those who stated a preference).

CustomVue (WaveScan) LasikSimilar to standard blade free iLASIK™, this includes an additional set of measurements, known as WaveScan analysis, which allow computerized calculations for a more precise measurement of corneal imperfections. WaveScan-based digital technology identifies and measures imperfections in your eyes 25 times more precisely than standard methods. This new technology allows Dr. Switch to preform a uniquely CUSTOM LASER treatment based on these computerized measurement for more precise results.

PRK (Surface LASIK): Surface LASIK PRK is an option for patients who were not previously candidates for traditional LASIK due to thin corneas or extreme refractive prescriptions. Using the same WaveScan analysis technology to measure the cornea, the surface of the eye is reshaped without the creation of a corneal flap. This procedure uses the same the VISX Star S4 excimer Laser and reduces the rare complications that result from the creation of a corneal flap in traditional LASIK. Because there is no flap, the patient must wear a contact lens for several days after the procedure, which acts as a bandage for comfort. Complete healing takes a few weeks. Vision improves daily as the eye heals under the contact lens.